Born Reckless (1937)

A champion auto racer takes a job with a taxicab company being harassed by a gangster who wants to take over all the cab companies in town.

Director:

Malcolm St. Clair

Writers:

Jack Andrews (story), John Patrick (screenplay),

Stars:

Rochelle Hudson, Brian Donlevy, Barton MacLane

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rochelle Hudson	...	Sybil Roberts
Brian Donlevy	...	Bob 'Hurry' Kane
Barton MacLane	...	Jim Barnes
Robert Kent	...	Lee Martin
Harry Carey	...	Dad Martin
Pauline Moore	...	Dorothy Collins
Chick Chandler	...	Windy Bowman
William Pawley	...	Henchman Mac
Francis McDonald	...	Henchman Louie
George Walcott	...	Danny Horton (as George Wolcott)
Joseph Crehan	...	District Attorney

Storyline

Racketeer Jim Barnes is trying to force the independent taxicab-drivers to join his 'protection service" at the cost of five bucks a day. Champion race-car driver, Bob Kane, joins with his friends Lee and "Dad" Martin in a fight for the street rights of a big city.

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Plot Keywords:

gangster | race car | racketeer | fight | bribery | 

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Taglines:

He fights crime for the fun of it!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 July 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Armored Taxi

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

59 min 59 min (FMC Library Print) (copyright length)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Due to a filming accident in which he injured two fingers of his left hand, Brian Donlevy spends almost the entire film with the hand in question either in his pocket, heavily gloved or somehow out of sight. It's finally revealed in its bandaged late in the final sequence.

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Goofs

When "Hurry" Kane drops Sybil off at the county jail there is minimal damage to the taxi. In the next scene the taxi pulls into the garage with substantial damage.

User Reviews

Okay

Born Reckless (1937)

** (out of 4)

Silly Fox film has gangsters running a taxi service and trying to bump off another taxi service in town. Then an auto racing champion (Brian Donlevy) joins forces with the good guys to wipe out the gangsters. This is a rather strange film throughout its 59-minute running time because at times the thing tries to be very serious but at other times its so over the top that it comes off very campy. There are several "bumper cars" type action with taxis running into one another and this is fun but it takes away from later scenes, which, again, are trying to be serious. Donlevy is good in a role where you can tell the studio would have preferred James Cagney. The supporting cast includes Rochelle Hudson, Robert Kent, Harry Carey, George Walcott and Pauline Moore.